IRCC announces official pause of the 2026 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | ImmigraCan
· | Categoria: General
Canada's immigration department (IRCC) suspends new applications and interest-to-sponsor form submissions for parents and grandparents in July 2026. Understand the impact of the pause and alternatives like the Super Visa.
Decision affects new family applications for an indefinite period
In the week of July 15, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially confirmed the temporary suspension of new applications and interest-to-sponsor form submissions for the highly sought-after Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).
The measure is meant to allow the department to process the backlog of previous applications without further increasing overall wait times, which had already been under significant pressure in recent months due to the high volume of applications received in prior years.
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What changes immediately?
Under the new ruling, the following restrictions take effect immediately:
1. No new forms: The IRCC portal will not accept new *Interest to Sponsor* form submissions.
2. Suspension of new invitations: No new rounds of invitations for the 2026 PGP will be issued until new ministerial guidance is published.
3. Continued processing: Applications that have already been formally submitted and are in the review queue will continue to be processed normally.
The Minister of Immigration emphasized that the pause is an inventory-management measure and that the government remains committed to family reunification, but is prioritizing faster decisions for those already waiting in the queue.
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The Super Visa as the main active alternative
For Brazilian families who had planned to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada this year, IRCC's official recommendation is to turn to the Super Visa.
Unlike the PGP (which grants direct permanent residence), the Super Visa is a multiple-entry visa aimed exclusively at parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Its main advantages include:
- Extended stays: Allows parents or grandparents to remain in Canada for up to 5 consecutive years per visit, without needing to renew their status from within the country.
- Extended validity: The visa has a total validity of up to 10 years.
- Faster processing: The average Super Visa decision time is considerably shorter than the PGP's permanent residence queues.
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> To be eligible for the Super Visa, the sponsor (the child or grandchild in Canada) must prove a minimum annual income (LICO) and purchase valid private Canadian health insurance for the parents/grandparents during their stay.
This pause reinforces IRCC's trend of restructuring immigration programs to contain the rapid growth of temporary and permanent applications, prioritizing the sustainability and efficiency of visa processing.